Scottish Executive

Enterprise

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what policies it has to encourage the setting up of rural businesses.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive recognises that small businesses play a key role in rural communities and is keen to encourage more start-up businesses in these areas. Responsibility for assisting business start-ups, including in rural areas generally, falls to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise who, through their Enterprise Networks provide support services to encourage individuals to consider the option of running their own business. Within the Scottish Enterprise area, services are accessed through the Business Gateway which covers all public sector support available both locally and nationally for start-ups and businesses of all sizes. In the Highlands and Islands Enterprise area, the Local Enterprise Companies act as a single access point to support for start-ups and established businesses.

Higher Education

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6356 by Mr Jim Wallace on 15 March 2004, how many students studied Russian as part of a university course at each Scottish university in each year since 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: The data requested is contained in the following table:

  Students studying Russian at Higher Education Institutions in Scotland by Institution, 1999-2000 to 2001-02

  

  
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02


 Total
 97
 94
 92


 The University of 
  Edinburgh
 *
 10
 10


 The University of 
  Glasgow
 56
 48
 50


 The University of 
  Strathclyde
 26
 21
 20


 The University of 
  St Andrews
 *
 15
 12



  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

  Note:

  *This data is collected under the terms of the Data Protection Act. In order to protect the confidentiality of individuals figures of five or less cannot be disclosed

Higher Education

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6356 by Mr Jim Wallace on 15 March 2004, how many students graduated from each of the Scottish universities with Russian as part of their degree in each year since 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: The data requested is contained in the following table:

  Graduates and Diplomates in Russian from Higher Education Institutions in Scotland by Institution, 1999-2000 to 2001-02

  

  
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02


 Total
 43
 36
 30


 The University of 
  Edinburgh
 *
 *
 *


 The University of 
  Glasgow
 29
 23
 20


 The University of 
  Strathclyde
 *
 7
 *


 The University of 
  St Andrews
 *
 *
 0



  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

  Note:

  *This data is collected under the terms of the Data Protection Act. In order to protect the confidentiality of individuals, figures of five or less cannot be disclosed

NHS Boards

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the person specification, selection criteria and methods of selection used for the post of Chair of NHS Fife.

Malcolm Chisholm: Details of the person specification, selection criteria and selection process were all provided in the background note sent out as part of the application pack. These details were also published on the Health Department Public Appointments Unit’s website during the advertising period. Copies of the background note can be made available to any interested party and a copy has also been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Sewel Motions

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs were to it of implementing in Scotland the provisions of UK legislation that were the subject of Sewel motions in the Scottish Parliament, broken down by Act.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional financial resources were made available by Her Majesty’s Government to the Executive to implement in Scotland the provisions of UK legislation that were the subject of Sewel motions in the Scottish Parliament, broken down by Act.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the expected costs will be to it of implementing the provisions of UK legislation that have been the subject of Sewel motions in the Scottish Parliament during this session, broken down by Bill.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional financial resources will be allocated to the Executive by Her Majesty’s Government to implement in Scotland the provisions of UK legislation that have been the subject of Sewel motions in the Scottish Parliament during this session, broken down by Bill.

Patricia Ferguson: The information is not available in the form requested.

  Information on the financial implications of devolved provisions in UK legislation has on each occasion been included within the Sewel memorandum that the Scottish Executive has provided to the relevant Committee of the Scottish Parliament since September 2003. This supplements information on the overall financial implications that is included within the explanatory notes that Her Majesty’s Government provides with UK legislation that it introduces at Westminster.

  Additional financial resources would not normally be made available by Her Majesty’s Government to meet the financial implications of devolved provisions in UK legislation, as responsibility for devolved matters rests with the Scottish Executive and Scottish Parliament.

Sex Offenders

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are on the sex offenders’ register.

Cathy Jamieson: At 31 March 2004, the number of sex offenders recorded by the Scottish Criminal Record Office as being registered with Scottish Police Forces was 2,244.

Sex Offenders

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any differentiation between offenders on the sex offenders’ register in respect of (a) level of violence and (b) threat to society.

Cathy Jamieson: The requirement to register is an automatic requirement arising from a conviction or finding for a sexual offence. All of the sexual offences under the law of Scotland are underpinned by penalties that reflect the seriousness of the crime and enable the appropriate punishment of the offender. Following registration, it is the responsibility of the police in collaboration with the local authority social work services and other relevant agencies to carry out a risk assessment that will include an assessment of the level of violence and threat to society as well as other factors.